Sales tax, marshal issues ready to go before voters

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

NEW MADRID - Two New Madrid County communities will place issues before voters as they go to the polls Tuesday to pick city officials and their school board representatives. Parma has sales tax issues on the ballot and in Risco, residents will decide whether the job of marshal should be an elected or appointed post.

There are two races on the ballot in Canalou. Charles Joyce and James D. Taul are opponents for the office of mayor while Steve Joyce and Thelma Slayton are vying for the job of collector. Candidates without an opponent are Steve Joyce for Ward 1 alderman and Clifton Southard for Ward 2 alderman; no one filed for the office of police judge.

While there are three openings on the Catron Board of Trustees, the only candidates to file for the terms are Barbara Matlock and Barbara Tanner.

Gideon has two candidates seeking the mayoral post. On the ballot are Louise Shock and Lindal Cossey. In Ward 1, Kevin Keown is unopposed in his bid for election as is Cleo Payne in Ward 2.

Clennon "Jim" Farr and Jessie Newson are opponents in the race to serve as Howardville's mayor. In Ward 1, Billy Ray Brown is unopposed in his bid to serve as alderman while in Ward 2, Mary L. Johnson is seeking election to a full term on the board of alderman and Albert Mead and Elise Shepherd are seeking election to fill a one-year unexpired term.

North Lilbourn residents will elect two persons to serve on their board of trustees. On the ballot are Lonnie B. Moore and Lewis E. Moore.

It is a three-way race in Lilbourn for the job of mayor. Candidates are incumbent Frank Ash, Larry J. Hamilton and Evelyn Brown. The office of collector, marshal and police judge are also contested with Yvonne Morgan seeking re-election as collector and opposed by Cheryl Roberts while incumbent Jamie DeCourley and Raymond Creasy are vying for the office of marshal and for police judge the candidates are Richard Kolwyck, incumbent, and Danny R. Ruark. Alvin L. Bobo and Ronnie Baker are in the race for Ward 2 alderman but in Ward 1, Robert Taylor is unopposed.

There is a full slate of candidates seeking election in Marston. Rebecca Redden, who is currently serving as mayor, is opposed by Paul Haubold. Wayne Ruby and Dustin Redden are the candidates seeking election as police judge. In Ward 1, voters will select either Wayne Newsom or Junior Phillips while in Ward 2, the candidates are Dickie Ash and Eddie Long Jr.

Neither of the Matthews Board of Aldermen candidates are opposed. Seeking office in Ward 1 is Thomas "Bud" Armstrong and in Ward 2, Elaine Vandever.

Four persons are seeking to fill the one-year unexpired term as city marshal for Morehouse. The candidates are Doug Triplett, Trish Cohen, Allen D. Lutes and Danny J. Ware. Candidates for Ward 1 alderman are Dennis Kindle, L.V. Brothers and Evelyn Comstock while in ward 2 terry landers is opposed by Jackie Hays for the position.

Parma residents will decide two tax issues when they go to the polls on Tuesday. The city has proposed a half-cent sales tax to be used to fund transportation needs and half cent sales tax for funding capital improvements. Also there are races for both openings on the Parma Board of Alderman. In Ward 1 voters can pick either Amelia Denson or Steve Lewis while the Ward 2 candidates are Floyd L. Shaw and Barry Aycock.

There is a three-way race to serve as Ward 2 alderman in Portageville with candidates Rodi Walker, Bruce Martin, who currently fills the post, and Kathy Klipfel. Incumbents Bill Foster, police judge and Lynn Doering, Ward 1 alderman, are unopposed.

Voters in Risco will decide whether to make their chief of police position an appointed one or elected post. In a related issue, Nina M. Cumins is running unopposed to fill a one-year term as the town's marshal. Only one of the openings on the Board of Alderman for Risco is contested. James Hensley and Casey Bunting are the candidates in the East Ward while in the West Ward Joe Rowe is without an opponent.

No one filed for two offices and those who did file do not have opposition on the Tallapoosa city ballot. The candidates are: Frank Smith, Mayor, Barbara Copeland, city clerk; Quintina Glass, North Ward alderman while the office of marshal and South Ward alderman will be filled by a write-in vote.

A portion of Sikeston is in New Madrid County and voters in Big Prairie 4 will choose between incumbent Sue Rogers or William Stokes to fill the at-large post on the Sikeston City Council and those living in Ward 4 have only one candidate on the ballot, Michael Harris.

School boards

Gideon School District patrons will have a list of five candidates and will pick two to fill three-year terms on the board. Running are Larry D. Wiggs, Devon Buchanan, Sharon R. Keown, Keith Berry and Jan Parker.

Four persons are seeking the two three-year terms open on the Portageville School District. Candidates are Mike Kellams, Derek Samples, Jon Warren and Jim McKay.

The R-6 School District (Sikeston) which includes a portion of New Madrid County has four candidates seeking the two three-year terms on the board. They are Mary L. White-Ross, Angela Longstreet, Paul H. Boyd and Jera Lincoln.

Because none of the candidates have opposition for the New Madrid County R-1 School Board an election is not required.